Automotive jack

ABSTRACT

A motor drives a threaded rod having a pair of hinged lever arms connected thereto. A pair of hinged lift arms are carried in notches in the terminal edges of the lever arms to increase the lifting capacity of the jack. The hinged lever arms are caused to be moved inwardly and outwardly in response to rotation of the threaded arm while the hinged terminal ends are simultaneously caused to be moved upwardly and downwardly.

[ 5] Feln.29,1l972 United States Patent Musgrove I l-lulsart limura Scott 309 566 999 EMU 7 5 205 1 41 645 233 l y S n n e P t a E mm M Woo m a m mm A Me, J in no E B n w Wm a m BV 0 m t T m U v A .m l. 4 2 5 7 .l l.

Primary Examiner-Andrew R. .luhasz Assistant Examiner-David R. Melton Attorney-John W. Kraft 22] Filed: Mar. 23, 1970 211 Appl.No.: 211,612

ABSTRACT A motor drives a threaded rod having a pair of hinged lever arms connected thereto. A pair of hinged lift arms are carried in notches in the terminal edges of the lever arms to increase [56] References cued the lifting capacity of the jack. The hinged lever arms are UNITED STATES PATENTS caused to be moved inwardly and outwardly in response to rotation of the threaded arm while the hinged terminal ends are simultaneously caused to be moved upwardly and downwardly.

ll Claims, 3 Drawing Figures m e s o m n u .50. k m rmm CWRD 45900 22 9999 111] III] 726 1 l 335 9206 452 1482 ss IHIHL l d l l v Patented Feb. 29, 1972 33,645,501

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 as m is 24 I8 N f f 1 nl/J g I? a? T I H BRYAN H. MUSGROVE INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 29, 197 3,545,501

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BRYAN H. MUSGROVE OR AUTOMOTIVE JACK FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to automotive jacks and more particularly to automotive jacks which may be driven by powered driving means.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART Automotive jacks furnished with automotive vehicles are generally manually operated by a variety of crank means. Although there are a few hydraulically driven jacks used in automotive repair facilities, these are usually massive and very expensive in original cost as well as maintenance.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a power-operated jack which is simple in construction, compact, and light in weight so that it may be carried in an au tomotive vehicle.

Another object of this invention is to provide in an automotive jack means of obtaining a high lift.

These and other objects shall become apparent from the description following.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Generally the automotive jack of the present invention comprises a threaded driving rod journaled for rotation in a mounting frame, a pair of substantially V-shaped driving arms hingedly connected together at one of their respective terminal ends and mounted to a pair of respective drive blocks at the respective opposite terminal ends of the arms, the blocks being threadably mounted to the drive rod, a pair of substantially V-shaped lift members hingedly connected together at one of their respective terminal ends and carried at their respective opposite terminal ends by the drive arms, and power means operable to rotatably drive the rod. The driving arms are caused to be moved inwardly and outwardly by the blocks in response to rotation of the rod, and consequently the hinged ends of the arms and the lift members carried by the arms are simultaneously caused to be moved upwardly and downwardly.

A more thorough and comprehensive understanding may be had from the description of the preferred embodiment following when read in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of the automotive jack of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross section side elevational view of the invention taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an electrical wiring layout for switching and connecting the motor to a suitable power source.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to the FIGS. 1 and 2 which show to advantage the automotive jack of the present invention generally identified by the numeral 10. The jack includes a rectangular boxlike frame 11 carried by a pair of pedestal base plates 12 and 12' suitably fastened at the opposite terminal ends of the frame 11. A drive rod 13 is disposed between the rectilinear opposing sides of the frame 11 and journaled for rotation in the opposite terminal ends thereof. The drive rod 13 is provided with threads 14. A pair of lever arms 15 pivotally connected by a hinge pin 16 at one of the terminal ends of each of the arms 15 are carried by respective mounting blocks 17 and 17 at the opposite terminal ends of each of the arms 15. The blocks 17 and 17' are threadably mounted on the drive rod 13 and are operable to terminal ends ivptally connected by hinge pin to upwardl and downwar y in response to rotation of t e drive rod I The arms 15 are provided with a multiplicity of arcuate notches l8 spaced at intervals along one of the terminal edges of each of the arms 15. A pair of channellike lift members l9 are hingedly connected together at one of the respective terminal ends of the lift members 19, and. are provided with mounting pins 20 and 20' at each of the respective opposite terminal ends thereof. The pins 20 and 20' are engageable with respective notches 18 in each of the respective arms 15. In response to rotation of the drive rod 13 driving the lever arms 15 upwardly and downwardly, the lift members 119 car ried by the arms 15 are caused to be moved inwardly and outwardly at the respective terminal ends adjacent pins 20 and 20', and caused the hinged ends of lift members 19 to be driven upwardly and downwardly at a commensurate geometric rate of movement with the arms 15. The lift members 19 are provided with a pedestal 21 mounted on the hinged portion of the lift members 19.

As earlier described, the drive rod 13 is journaled for rota tion in the opposite terminal ends of the frame 11. The rod I3 extends through one of the terminal ends of the frame 11 and is provided with a drive pin 22 outwardly projecting from the rod 13. A commonly known jack crank (not shown) may engage the rod 13 and the drive pin and be operative to manually cause rotation of the rod 13. A driven gear 23 is suitably connected at the opposite terminal end of rod 13. An electric motor 24 including a driving gear (not shown) mounted on the shaft of the motor is mounted on the frame 11 to drive the gear 23 and consequently the rod 13.

Referring now to the FIG. 3, the motor 24 may be a rever sibly driven direct current motor adapted to be driven from a motor vehicle. In such environment the motor may be provided with a commonly known plug adapter 25 suitable for connecting the motor to the cigarette lighter of the vehicle. By connecting a commonly known double-throw switch such as shown at 26 through at terminal block 27, the motor 24 may be reversibly driven in response to the direction in which the switch 26 is thrown if wired substantially as shown in FIG. 3. It is to be understood that terminal clips which are attachable to the battery terminals may be alternatively employed. Similarly, an alternating current motor connected to a suitable power source may be substituted for the motor 24.

Having thus described in detail a preferred apparatus which embodies the concepts and principles of the invention and which accomplishes the various objects, purposes and aims thereof, it is to be appreciated and will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changes could be made in the apparatus without altering the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. Hence, it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an automotive jack of the character described the combination of a rectangular boxlike frame, a threaded driving rod journaled for rotation in said frame, a pair of hingedly connected lever arms carried by respective blocks threadably mounted on said rod, means operable to rotatably drive said rod, said lever arms being operable to be driven inwardly and outwardly in response to rotation of said rod while simultaneously driving said hingedly connected portion of said lever arms upwardly and downwardly, said lever arms including a multiplicity of arcuate notches disposed at an angle in one of the terminal edges of each of said arms, a pair of hingedly connected lift members having brackets distally disposed at the respective terminal ends opposite said hingedly connecting portion operable to engage preselected respective notches in said arms and be carried by said notches in said arms. 

1. In an automotive jack of the character described the combination of a rectangular boxlike frame, a threaded driving rod journaled for rotation in said frame, a pair of hingedly connected lever arms carried by respective blocks threadably mounted on said rod, means operable to rotatably drive said rod, said lever arms being operable to be driven inwardly and outwardly in response to rotation of said rod while simultaneously driving said hingedly connected portion of said lever arms upwardly and downwardly, said lever arms including a multiplicity of arcuate notches disposed at an anglE in one of the terminal edges of each of said arms, a pair of hingedly connected lift members having brackets distally disposed at the respective terminal ends opposite said hingedly connecting portion operable to engage preselected respective notches in said arms and be carried by said notches in said arms. 